^34 BOARD OF AGRTCTJLTURE. 



apply manure to No. 3 exactly as upon No. 1 or 2, and harrow or 

 •cultivate the whole piece. Lastly, apply manure to No. 4 as upon 

 the others, and leave it upon the surface. 



If these directions be accurately fulfiled, you will observe that 

 the whole piece receives exactly the same degree of cultivation, 

 and the same amount and quality of manure ; the only difference 

 being in the depth at which the manure was applied ; and any 

 variation in the product may safely be ascribed to the mode of appli- 

 <:ation, which is the only point intended to be illustrated by the 

 experiment. Upon the first we shall see the effect of covering 

 manure 8 inches deep ; on No. 2 the effect when covered half as 

 deeply ; upon No. 3 the effect of a slight covering, and upon No. 

 4 the effect of strictly surface manuring. Let the after cultivation 

 be the same upon all the plots, and the harvesting be done at the 

 same time." 



It was my intention, had a considerable number of trials been 

 reported, to present the results in a table, but as only a very few 

 iiave yet come to hand, I give the reports as sent to me. 



It is earnestly hoped that more attention will be paid to con- 

 ducting experimeuts, carefully and accurately. The value of such 

 is very great. By these only can we substitute a reasonable cer- 

 tainty of being right, in place of guess-work in our practice. 

 They should be numerous — on all soils — in all seasons — with care 

 to eliminate all sources of fallacy— and accurately reported. 



Report of an experiment in the application of manure upon 2-5 

 acre of land, tried in 1860, hy Samuel F. Perley, of Naples, Cum- 

 berland County: , 



The soil was a gravelly loam, underlaid twelve to sixteen inches 

 below by a "hard pan." 



Eight cords per acre of strong yard manure were applied. 



One-half of each section was manured in the hill with fowl's 

 dung composted with muck, one busliel of the former to eight of 

 the latter — less than a pint to each hill. 



The crop grown was corn. 



Product on first fourth — barn manure plowed under eight inches 

 deep, was 614 pounds of corn and stover, 269 pounds of corn and 

 ■cob. 



Product on second fourth — manure plowed under four inches 

 •deep, was 561 pounds of corn and stover, 230 pounds of corn and 

 •cob. 



